By Israeli forces have intensified their offensive in the Gaza Strip, pushing further into the northern area of Jabalia and launching airstrikes on the southern city of Rafah. The escalation has led to widespread destruction of residential areas, the targeting of a hospital, and a growing number of casualties among Palestinian civilians.
In Jabalia, a densely populated refugee camp originally built to house displaced civilians 75 years ago, Israeli forces have employed bulldozers to raze shops and properties near the local market. The Israeli military claims that this operation, which began nearly two weeks ago, is aimed at preventing Hamas, the militant group controlling Gaza, from regrouping in the area.
The Israeli army reported that over the past day, it had dismantled approximately 70 “terror targets” across the Gaza Strip, including military compounds, weapon storage sites, missile launchers, and observation posts.
Palestinian medics reported that Israeli missiles struck the emergency department of Jabalia’s Kamal Adwan Hospital, forcing staff to evacuate patients amid the rubble-strewn streets. Hussam Abu Safia, the head of the hospital, described the harrowing scene as multiple missiles hit the entrance of the emergency department and nearby buildings, making it impossible for staff to re-enter and assist patients.
Residents and medics also reported that Israeli tanks have been besieging another hospital in Jabalia, Al-Awda Hospital, for the third consecutive day. The World Health Organization’s Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, expressed concern over the situation, stating that these two hospitals are the only remaining functional healthcare facilities in northern Gaza and that ensuring their ability to deliver health services is imperative.
The ongoing war in Gaza, now in its eighth month, has claimed the lives of more than 35,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza health ministry. An additional 10,000 individuals are reported missing and believed to be trapped beneath the ruins of destroyed buildings.
Israel’s offensive in Gaza began after Hamas militants stormed into southern Israel on October 7, killing 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages. The ensuing conflict has devastated the overcrowded coastal enclave, destroying homes, schools, and hospitals, and creating a severe humanitarian crisis.
In the south, airstrikes in Rafah killed at least five people, including three children in a home, while three children were also among the fatalities in a house in Khan Younis. Residents in Khuzaa town, east of Khan Younis, reported fleeing as Israeli troops began an incursion on the eastern edge of the territory, bulldozing across the border fence.
The United Nations agency UNRWA estimates that since the beginning of May, more than 800,000 people have fled their homes in Rafah, where Israel has pledged to continue its assault to root out what it claims are four remaining battalions of Hamas fighters. Food distributions in Rafah have been suspended due to a lack of supplies and the precarious security situation.
As the Israeli offensive continues, the international community has expressed growing concern over the mounting civilian casualties and the dire humanitarian consequences of the prolonged conflict in Gaza.
